If you are the family member of a deceased worker, you may be able to apply for Social Security survivor benefits. Social Security now pays monthly survivor benefits to over seven million Americans, including almost two million children. Family members who may qualify for all or a portion of a deceased worker’s benefits include:

• A widow or widower. The most typical situations are as follows: Today a widowed spouse age 65 or older will receive 100 percent. A widowed spouse age 60 to 64 may receive 71-99 percent; a spouse at any age with a minor child will generally receive about 75 percent.
• Divorced spouses may qualify for benefits if they are presently unmarried and if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and the surviving ex-spouse is at least 60 years of age.
• Children, for Social Security purposes, are defined as biological children, adopted children, step children and in some cases, even dependent grandchildren. A child must be under 18 (or still in high school at age 18) and unmarried in order to receive benefits, which are generally 75 percent of the worker's benefits. Benefits cease if the child marries.
• Parents also will probably be entitled to benefits if they are 62 or older and were dependent on the deceased worker as their principal means of support.
  

Note: A lump-sum death benefit of $255 is payable to any surviving spouse living with the deceased at the time of death. Children who are eligible for benefits are also eligible for the lump-sum death payment of $255 if there is no surviving spouse. Otherwise, the benefit is not payable.

You must apply for this one-time payment within two years of a worker's death.The number of credits needed for earnings to be eligible for survivor's benefits depends upon the age of the deceased. The younger a person is when he or she dies, the fewer credits needed for his or her family to be eligible. In general, a worker must have 1 1/2 to 10 years Social Security-covered work in order for his or her family to receive benefits.